Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-09-17

pllil Oilt hGuiC Which, Ili
agree is that of the longhaired goat,
THE EVIL SPIRIT OF INDIAN TRADITION.
But his head has been knocked off BIZ
some sacrilegious vandal, who probably
wished to demonstrate the poweressness
of the caves enchanted guardian. 1t is
the general belief that no living animal
has been found within the cave; but | can
testify to the presence of myriads al bats.
An explorer who spent the night here
with party Of Americans, assures me
that he not only heard the kissing Of
| snakes in the darkness, but that they were
frightened almost out of their wits by the
sudden appearance of some fierce beast,
having the spotted skin Of leopard,
whose loud warnings echoed terrifcally
among the vaults, and which, after gaz-
ing at them by the light of their torches,
stalked majestically back into the dark
ness, where they had no disposition to pur-
sue him.
In the second vast apartment our aston
ishment increased at every step. Some
times We seemed to be III an underground
Egyptian temple, natures architecture be-
forms everywhere about us resembling I'M
couth idols. The multitude of pyramids
and obelisks suggested the thought that
perhaps the ancient people who, years ago,
built those Egyptianlike palaces in the
south Of Mexico took their architectural
| ideas from some natural cave of this de-
scription-just as nature herself suggested
the beautiful Corinthian pillar.
Then we entered an apparently en-
chanted country, in which everything had
been turned to stone. There were foun-
tains of petrifed waters, icy pyramids a
hundred feet high, trees hung with frozen
moss, columns covered with gigantic acan-
thus leaves, pillars whose lofty tops were
lost in the shadows overhead-all looking
like the work of pre-Adamites, yet evil
IDENTIFY only wrought by Him who inhab-
its eternity. This second chamber is higher
| than the first, and is said to be four hun
dred feet long
We passed into an immense double gall
lery supported by pyramidal formations of
great size-stalagmites, formed by water
| dropping on the earth. A thousand odd
| figures are found here-sothic shrines,
mummies, Druids with flowing boards,
SHAPES THAT sTARTLE THE BEHoIDER
Like some wild dream and among them
are countless pyramids, obelisks and basins
which seem to be made of p,lrest alabaster.
Great drops trickled down upon our heads,
and upon the wet and slippery ground are
an IncalclIlable number of small, perfectly
rounded balls, dead-white petrifcations,
forming little hollows where they lie. We
thought of Rip Van Wrinkles brownies
playing ten-pins among the Catskills, and
were fain to hasten lest we, too, become
pillars of stone.
| By-and-by We came to another and still
loftier corridor, supported by pillars
covered with what seemed to be creeping
plants and rows of gigantic stone cauli-
flowers-each leaf most delicately chiseled
and looking like appropriate food for the
colossal jewellers of the cavern. As the
torches flashed upon masses of rock and
hillocks crowned with temples and pyra-
mids, CONCEALED torrents, that seemed to be-
long to the north pole, and Doric columns
like those of Greece, we gave ourselves up
to admiration; but to attempt anything
like minute description is entirely out Of
the question.
| Among all these various accidents, pro
duced by dropping water, none is more
exquisite than perfect amphitheater, ten
times larger than that at Chautauqua, with
regular benches, surrounded by an i'm
mense organ, whose pipes, when struck,
give forth deep musical sound. This
organ formation Is not uncommon in cav
ems. | have seen it in those at Luray,
IIarpers Ferry, Pesqueria, etc. and am
told that it is also found in Kentuckv's
Mammoth Cave 1t is not difficult to fall
in with the Indians belief than super
,atp,a1 ha,nnn. ta,.o L.,
these petrifed solitudes, or that they were
ing twilight of time.
L cannot tell You how far We went-it
seemed impossible to calculate time and
distance among the stupenduous masses.
The interior of the mountain has been ex-
plored only about twelve miles, and il is
believed that greater wonders lie beyond.
As we advanced the way became more
difficult because of detached masses of
crystal rock, aud sound of rushing water
came family from distance. Our guides
now strongly urged return, and suspccting
| the true reason to be that they were afraid
of losing themselves and us in the mighty
tomb we reluctantly retraced our steps,
leaving unexplored numerous corridors
branching off into the darkness.
Not many years ago some American
tourists discovered
| THE SKELETON OF MAN
In the mysterious depths of this cavern.
the skull nearly covered with crystalliza-
tons. He had doubtless entered these
labarynths alone, either from rash curl
osity or to escape pursuit, lost his way and
persisted Of hunger. Even for experienced
guides it would be extremely difficult to
find the way back to the entrance, without
having left behind some clue by which to
direct the steps among these winding
galleries, halls, compartments and intersect-
ing corridors. Though many objects are
so striking that they can Immediately be re-
! cognized-such as the goat and the amphl-
| theater-therc are millions of Implications
As confusing as monotonous in their endless
variety. Imagine that unfortunate man
wandering among these pyramids, obelisks
and Grecian columns, surrounded 10y frozen
torrents that could not assuage his thirst,
and trees with marble fruit which Knocked
his hunger, pale phantoms in shroudS who
| would not relieve his distress-his cries
for help answered by 4 thousand hollow
echoes, as if the white jewellers of the
cavern replied with unholy laughter,
Nothing more beautiful can be imagined
than the effect from the interior distance.
Of daylight entering the mouth of the
cave; such faint, misty blue, contrastcd
with the fierce, red light of the torches,
and broken by intercepting pillars of snowy
crystal. What would not that poor tray-
eler have given TO find it as we did:
Truly Dame Nature is no coquette. She
adorns herself with greater richness in the
deepest and darkest caverns than on the
open plain or the highest mountain top.
1 FANNIE B. WARD.
The Richest Man in the World
Would be poor without health The diving
millionaire consumptive would exchange